Oh my oh my! We had a CRAZY weekend! Friday as soon as Gary got home I finished getting things together and we went over to visit his mom who we had not seen all week (FIL was out of town on buisness). We decided to go to Dougs Dinner for supper (which I love) and so off we went. Tyler did really well in a booster seat (I preferr high chairs but he's old enough and big enough to start practicing in the beltless boosters...) and ate almost all his fries and about half of his chicken :) My carb boy! Then we went back to thier house and soon after Gary left for "Band Practice". He was SO excited. We are now going to his parents church 'part time' and he's playing drums. Well, he's played two times now and so when Brian T Donahue (recording artist, lives out of town now, used to go to the church, playing for the weekend with his CD debut band) needed a drummer Gary was recommended and so of course I told gary he could do it. So Gary goes off to a real recording studio at one of the guy's houses (which must be SO cool!) and they all practiced together for Sunday's service which was also the church's 4 year anniversary. Gary had SO much fun and called me at 9 to say he was not going to make it back to get me by 9 (duh) so I had Steph take me home. Thankfully Tyler was worn out enough that he went straight to bed with little fuss. I was very glad since he did not nap well (if at all) on Friday and I was worried that he would be overtired. Gary got home a little after 11 and was on a music high and it was just so cool to see him so excited about something. You all know how he's mr humble right? So he goes on and on about how great all these musicians are (I can attest that this is true) and how he just can't belive they are letting someone like him play... Of course I think he's freaking brilliant but I'm his wife and while I do know a lot about music, percussion is not exactly my area of expertise... I do know that if the percussion is wrong it's really bad and let me tell you- with Gary it's never wrong! :) So anyways, we got up Saturday morning at 7 to get the car loaded to head over to Mansfield to work on the house. We painted the master bedroom ceiling (AGAIN), painted the walls in the basement and washed the floor, did some weeding and mulching and painted the garage door. Gary's parents met us over there about the same time since we had to run to Lowes and get all the paint. To be honest, MIL, FIL and Gary did all the work. I was pretty much useless. I swept out a few rooms and the attic and helped wash basement walls but with all the dust and fumes I was not much help. After a lunch of Gyros from the Greek restaurant in town (YUM YUM YUM!!!) I took off with Tyler to visit Bethany and her baby. Cohen is two weeks old now and he's just sweet as can be!! I got to hold him for like an hour and he cuddled up with me and feel right asleep... it made me super excited for my own baby, and also scared to death with the reality of a new baby coming and there being nothing I can (nor would want to do) to stop it! It was really nice to get to visit with Bethany. I went intending on doing all kinds of stuff to help her but of course she's super mom and had all her dishes done, every room in the house picked up, organized and cleand adn didn't even have any laundry to do! You really could not tell that a 2 week old lived there! Tyler took a decent nap and played well and then I left to go back to get Gary so we could go to Amy's house for supper. Gary's parents had gone by then and so we went and got gas and then went off to Amy's. I walked in and gave her a hug and noticed not just Jodi also being there but someone else. I was confused for a moment but figured someone else was just around which is not unusual at the Stauffer house. SO then Amy says "Surprise! This is a time to celebrate you!" so I was like "aww! Thanks!" Thinking maybe she invited a few more of the ladies over and that's who I saw in the kitchen (I could not see the person so I had no idea who was in there) so then I turn around to put Tyler's diaper bag down and I look into the living room and there are pink streamers, girly gift bags and ballons everywhere and I like screamed a little Ithink! They threw me a surprise shower!!! So then THREE people came out of the kitchen and one came in the door behind us and it all started to register and to be honest I was shocked! I have not seen any of these ladies since November, several of them since September and I wrongly had it in myhead that they had moved on with life and kind of forgotten about me. I could not have been more wrong. We enoyed Pizza, catching up and they ALL got me VERY NICE gifts! I mean like REALLY nice stuff!!! I was just in total shock the whole evening. I was very tired and a little out of it but the whole time I just kept thinking about how wrong I had been in thinking they would forget about me. I just felt so overwhelmed with blessings! This and a few other things that happened last week made me realize that just because you don't hear from someone for a long time, does not mean that you are not in thier hearts, thoughts and prayers. I was very wrong to think that they didn't think about me and I feel very badly about that! It was wrong on me to take lessons learned from other situations and just assume that the same is always true. If you are reading this ladies= Thank you from the bottom of my heart and I love you all dearly and I'm so sorry!!! We left late from Mansfield and since it was windy and snowing/sleeting/raining it took us longer to get home than usual and I was really stressed and tense because we actually slid a few times and I saw a pretty bad accident involving a van not too far into the trip. Gary was so tired from all the work he had done and being up late the night before I felt very badly for him. He's a really good driver and we got home just fine. Sunday morning when gary had to get up to get to church early for set up I knew Tyler would not be able to get up (he stayed awke in the car the entire ride home and did not go to bed until after 11) to go in with him so we decided to take two cars. Gary's parents also took two cars so the four of us had four cars there. sad. We were supposed to bring something for the potluck lunch after service and of course that was the last thing on my mind when we got home the night before so I sent Gary off early with instructions to get something at Walmart and let his mom know I'd meet her at church rather than meeting her at her house and going with her. Miracle of miracles I actually made it to church and IN the door a full 5 minutes before service started! Gary (and the rest of the band) did an AWESOME job and it was just amazing. Part way through Gary dropped one of his sticks and even playing with one stick for awhile he was SO good! He's just amazing. We satyed for lunch and midway through lunch Dale came over and asked gary what we had planned for the rest of the day. You know me, I'm thinking SLEEP!!! Well... turns out they do occasional coffee house/open house jam nights and that was one of them and Brian and his band were going to play and did Gary want to go play? Gary's face IMMEDIATELY looked like you told him he won the lottery adn then he hid it as he looked over at me for 'permission'. LIke I"m going to tell him no? Come on! So we got the details adn it worked out that we could get Tyler (and me) home for a nap and still make it back in time and Tyler and I were welcome so we agreed. I know for a fact that in his heart Gary was jumping up and down like a little kid waiting for a cookie. We went off to the new church to see the progress (my first visit) and write a verse on the floor. Tyler got crabby and we could not think of a verse so we stayed awhile and then left. Tyler napped about 2 hours, I did not nap at all but rested, then we repacked the diaper bag and off we went! The coffee house thing was really fun and it reminded me some of college. Seeing Gary play drums again really takes me back to our band days and falling in love and then the coffee house on top of it was just neat. We enjoyed so many back in college together... of course it was so different this time with him IN the band and me chasing around our 2 year old and being roughly the size of a modular home. Melissa and her mom helped me and actually several of the high school kids that were there and the guitar player from the band played with Tyler so it ended up being a pretty relaxing time! Tyler decided when we got home that he was not remotely interested in calming down or rest of any sort including bed. We let him play extra long in the bathtub because neither of us really wanted to have to wash him but he was filthy from running around the church mid-construction and being all over the floor. We got him into bed around 9:30 and he proceeded to use every trick in the book to get us back in there entertaining him until he finally went to sleep around 11. At about 10:30 I decided that it was not worth letting him keep crying when I knew he had to be tired so I gave him some Tylenol and rocked him some. That did the trick. I got to thinking that he was probably as tired as the two of us and I know I often, when overstimulated, get a headache or am so tired I can't relax and I take Tylenol before bed so why not do the same for him? I also knew Gary needed his rest for work today. :) So that's it! Now we get to start the week! I"m due in LESS than 6 weeks now and if I induce we are talking less than 5 which translates to 4 and a few days and so there is much to be done! Hope you all had more relaxing weekends than us! I must say though, I"d rather be busy with FUN stuff like this weekend than busy with work!!! LOVE YOU ALL!!!! (and thanks for reading my novel!)

IRRITATED!!!!! I know these things happen to everyone and in the grand scheme of life it's not a big deal but I'm so IRRITATED right now!!!! We took a house key with us to California so that when we got home we could get in. I"m still not sure why b/c Gary's parents picked us up and they have a key to our house (). Somehow the key got misplaced. It's either in the depths of one of Gary's pants pockets or it's at my brother's or it's down in the bottom of a seat on an airplane somewhere. We took our car to a friends this wek to get our brakes fixed which meant moving the carseat into Gary's car. In the hustle and bustle of the week somehow the one key we have got moved from my keyring to Gary's keyring and the carseat never got moved back to my car from Gary's car. SO this morning I got up, showered, got myself all made up and dressed in 'real' clothes, got Tyler up, fed him and got us all ready to to to MOPS. When I realized I had no key I called Gary to see if he had it (for awhile it was floating around with no ring- thus my panic that it was gone forever) and he said no, then checked his ring and said yes, he did have it. Well, no biggy- I can run by his work on my way home and get it then I'll have the key to get back in and don't have to leave the house open. So, I'm on the phone with him, i lock the door from the inside, hold Tyler's hand, lead him to the front porch, shut the door, turn and look at the car and say OH SHIT. There is no carseat in the car. It's in Gary's car. I can't drive to get the key wihtout a carseat (i'm no britney!) but neither can I get back into the house without a key!!!! Had I looked at the car a nanosecond earlier, I'd have not shut the door but alas... I did... so Gary's freaking out b/c the school was without power last night so things are all haywire and anything that plugs into an outlet is magically his responsability when it breaks b/c it's "technology" so he was in the middle of 4 things and could not come bring me the carseat or key so I had to call the landlady. Thankfully she was home and said she'd be over in a few minutes. Of course this morning had to be the morning she got about a zillion calls so she came tearing over here 45 minutes later apologizing and asking if I thought she forgot about me. (I was deciding in my head how long to go before calling her back to check on her!) It was not too big of a deal b/c I got the garage more than half organized and Tyler's summer toys were stored in there so he had something to entertain him. It was embarassing the first 20 minutes though standing on the porch- in the rain- wondering what people thought of me... hopefully the people who are still home between 9 and 10 are not doing much looking out thier windows. I kept thinking that if I went to the garage she'd show up right away so I kept waiting on the porch and then figured it didn't matter b/c I was cold and getting wet- not to mention poor Tyler! Gary called a few minutes before she got here and said things were calming down and he could come bring me the seat so I could still go to mops if I wanted. I told him it started at 9:30, not 10 and even if he left that second I could not get there till close to 10:30 when it was half over. I told him not to worry about it. It's not his fault, it's not my fault... it's just one of those things that happens ... but boy was it irritating! So, folks, that was my fun morning. Now I'm all dolled up and not only do I have nowhere to go- I CANT go anywhere (legally anyways!)

Photobucket Album

More California Pictures

Photobucket Album

Photo's with Uncle Joshua in California

ack to life, back to reality, back from a fantasy, yeah.... ugh. Welcome back to ohio with SNOW!?!?! It was colder and whiter here yesterday than Christmas day! Grr!!! Friday- Shorts at Disneyland Sunday- coats, hats and gloves to go to church!! And i"m not talking suit coats and pretty Easter hat/glove sets either! So I had a Dr. Appt this morning. She's totally willing to have me induced so that I'm sure to get her and she can do what she can to make sure I don't tear badly again or just ship me off to C-section b/c she's not quite as "pro section" as the last doctor I saw. So I've decided not to do an elective C section because frankly, I'm chicken and it scares the crap out of me. I'm very tempted by the induction option b/c I can know who my doctor is going to be, however, I also know that a lot of women who are induced end up in C sections for one reason or another. The planning of it would be nice but that's really not a main reason to do it- it would be for the peace of mind to have the doctor I want and who knows my situation. Thoughts? Thanks for all your messages and prayers while we were gone! We had a WONDERFUL time and I'm so sad to be back. Glad to be in my own bed but nto ready for reality... Especially knowing I have 6-7 weeks before the baby comes!!! ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!! I purposly held off doing stuff to get ready for the baby until after this vacation so i could focus on it and also not be focusing too much on the baby's room and clothes... but now I feel like I have so much to do!! I want to read a bunch of books, take naps and watch movies b/c I know the time is coming FAST where I will be so busy and get so little sleep and relax time! I also want to get to see all my friends "one last time" and of course the house needs a complete spring clean, all the baby stuff needs to be washed and sorted and put back together and put away... furniture might need to be moved to make room for things... Most of all I'm sad because I feel like this vacation was my last chance to really spend time with just Tyler and so special things for just him. Such an odd feeling being so excited for this baby and loving her already, but sad to think of how things will change for me and Tyler...not to mention me and Gary!! yea, Back to life!

My grandfather passed away this morning. I wanted to get online quickly and let those of you who have been following this know, and to thank you all for your prayers. It has meant a lot to me to have friends who care about me, and my family who have supported and encouraged me through the past several months as we've watched him die. Cancer is an illness that is just impossible to explain, and this has been a very hard process for our family - especially me in my hormonal state- so thank you. Thank you for your emails, your messages, comments, prayers, and most of all love. I ask you continue to pray for my grandma who's lost the love of her life, her sould mate, her best friend. She has wonderful family and will never be alone, but a piece of her will be missing and that breaks my heart more than anything. I love you all.

Leaving, on a jet plane... yea!!!!!! Tyler is getting out all his toys that I put away and organized last night.... Gary's getting us dougnuts (he seems to have left his brain at work as this is by no means the norm for us!) and I'm getting ready to do my makeup and WE ARE OFF! Everything fit into bags... not necessarily the ones we intended on but they are in there. I even have a plan for how to get an extra bag full of souveniers home. Hee hee!!! I want to officially ask everyone for prayer for us. Obviously there is the whole issue of traveling. It turns out our flight plan was changed AGAIN and not only are we in OHare for only 2 hours but we also have to go from one side of one terminal to the other side of the other terminal. Fun times. Also pray that we don't get sick, the baby stays in my belly, i have plenty of energy and Gary survives. Realize, the poor man is traveling with a two year old, his 32 week pregnant wife, and his mother in law. That's enough to send any man into counseling. Pray also for my brother who will have this lot of us in his apartment for a whole week! Love you all! My mascara is calling!

Day's away... We are getting to crunch time now with this trip to CA!! I'm getting extremely excited and even more nervous. What if I don't get laundry done? What if I leave dirty dishes? (yea, like my mom would let that happen....) What if Tyler gets sick? What if I go into labor? What if Tyler does not sleep? What if GARY doesn't sleep? (I haven't slept in a month so that's not a concern.) What if our luggage doesn't get there? What if I gain 10 pounds like a normal vacation? What if I don't eat enough b/c eagle-eye-mom is watching? What if this is the most fun vacation ever and I miss it completely because i'm too busy worrying about all this stuff that does not even matter?!?!?! I have no less than 5 running lists of what I need to remember to do and to pack and which bag it's going in. I have a diaper bag and toy bag for the plane, on top of the three of us, the carseat and a small carryon-suitcase. I live in fear of the luggage geting lost so Tyler's air bed and extra undies for all of us are going to be on the plane. I know, it's just one more thing to carry and I think it's a secret battle Gary is waiting to have with me in the baggage area where I can't freak out so much... or maybe he's finally accepted that he has to leave the anal tendancies alone. We also have two small suitcases and the stroller to check. It's a lot of seperate bags but we are actually taking very little considering i'm involved. For me, packing is half of the fun of a vacation. I like to make a list of everything possible i'd like to have with me, then I work to make as much of it as possible fit in as little space as possible. Usually, as long as I can get it all into the car, Gary lets me take it. This time, since it invovles air travel, it all has to fit into the pre-determined space of the two suitcases we are taking and carry ons... becaues we have to be able to carry it. Ahh... I wish so much it could be like when I went to Europe and I packed so much I could not carry it and all the boys on the trip helped me (Thanks Reuben! You are a stud!). I also have to follow all these new flying restrictions about liquids... grrr... I know they have good reason but i really don't want to spend $3 on a bottle of juice after security that would cost me 40 cents to buy here and bring with me. Gary, of course, has been packed for weeks. He found a few shorts and shirts and a pair of jeans, threw them in a space saver bag, and set them in the baby room. He only has to add a few undies (my word, not his) and his sandals and he's set. If only it were that easy for those of us who's bodies seem to change by hour and who's wardrobes are limited b/c of that! Miracle of miracles is that so far all Tylers clothes and mine are fitting in the SAME suitcase! That's right folks! I don't even have my own suitcase full! Gary gets one for his clothes, toiletries, extras, and pillows (love these space saving bags!! I want to fill the house with them!!) In other news, Tyler got his vacation haircut yesterday. I thought for sure that when I ran to the restroom Gary would ask them to buzz cut him but he didn't. Kudo's to Gary. I wanted to thank everyone for thier support and prayer for our family with my grandpa's illness. We went to see him on Sunday and he had one of his best days in a long time my grandma said. He knew us, talked to us, and even wanted to hold and play with Tyler. He couldn't of course, but the fact that he wanted to touched me deeply. I'm so thankful that the Lord allowed him to know us for what was, most likely, our last visit. It's only a matter of days now and they are getting to the point where his pain cannot be managed at home. It just breaks my heart to know that, but I'm so thankful that all this time, he's known who my grandma is and has made sure to tell her when he can "thank you" and "I Love You". What a treasure.

Tyler running in circles!

Tyler mopping the floor being mommy's good helper!

Gary, Tyler and Grandma

What the EFFINGHAM is wrong with me?!?!?!!? If you knew me when prego with Tyler you know I was OBSESSED with A Baby Story. I figured if I knew everything there was to know about childbirth i'd somehow suceed at it. I have no idea if that's true or not but a good ways into my pregnancy Gary started coming home to a hysterical wife who had watched some horrendous thing happen... then they had this show on about high risk pregnancies that was on at night that I would watch when I could not sleep and then have nightmares so I'd be hysterical when he left for work in the morning. (Hm.... aside: I'm suddenly starting to correlate why he worked so many more hours as I got further along.... it wasn't b/c he was going to have to take time off and needed to get ahead and prepared! He was avoiding the madness!!!!!! How dense am I that I'm just now figuring this out?) So anyways, somewhere along the line i was forbidden to watch these shows by hubby dearest and so then it was like when your mom tells you that you can only have 2 cookies and all you can think about is how to get that third one without her noticing. So I watched it in secret a few times but then I could not be hysterical so I made myself sick with anxiety and then stopped watching. (I'm like an Isrealite in the Old Testament- I don't learn the first time...) So this pregnancy I vowed that I was not going to make myself crazy watching these shows about still births, babies who are born backwards and emergency C-sections that husbands miss, etc etc etc. And i've done really well. They just dont interest me anymore b/c now I know about all the crap they neglect to show on those shows and I'm choosing to belive that the things God has alllowed me to forget are for my own protection. So today, I sat down to relax while Tyler was napping and one of those shows was on. A Baby Story I think. So i was flipping b/n it and 30 minute meals b/c the story was a stay at home mom who's due date comes and goes (gotta love that info button!). So I was pretty much flipping from one set of commercials to another and getting some Rachel Ray inbetween (Remind me to tell you about her 'fruit roll-ups'). So I finally flip and get ABS and this woman is in labor and I mean IN LABOR. Screaming, Doctors' already there, husband is ashen about to fall over, nurse looks petrified so I know, she's about to push the kid out. So I'm like, Ok. I don't have to listen to any of the scary labor part- this is actual delivery so I watch. This woman proceded to push out an ADORABLE baby boy who was TEN POUNDS ELEVEN OUNCES!!!!!!! They held that baby up and I swear he looked like a toddler. He looked like he was about to crawl across his mommy and ask for a drink of milk. oh my oh my oh my..... let me just say something right here, right now. I DO NOT HAVE THE FIGURE NEEDED TO PUSH OUT A BABY THAT BIG! If this little girl gets that big she's just going to have to find another way out. That's all there is to it! I should have just dusted and mopped like I planned.... (Fruit roll ups- put some jelly on a flour tortilla, add some cut up fruit, fold like a burrito and eat. How easy is that? YUMMY!!)

Jackie at 22 weeks and Heather at 30 weeks.

Gary, Tyler and Heather

Josh, Gary and Tyler

Tyler just hanging out with Josh

Check out tyler walking with Pops on the big rock!

Tyler and Pops.

I wanted to get on here for those of you who do not email frequently or read my myspace stuff. :) I wanted to update about a few things. First of all, last Saturday was my day of being 30 weeks pregnant! I'm very excited to be offically in the homestretch now. We leave in a week and a half for California and after that it will be "all baby all the time!" Today I got out the bottles and sorted them. We had way too many, thanks to a generous family, and I sorted out what I wanted and what I could give away! It was exciting to put them all in a basket and into the cupboard and see them all fit in there just right. :) I'm sure I'll change my mind on how I want them in there, but for now it's nice to know they fit! My grandpa is not doing well and I appreciate your continued prayers. The doctors (as of about a week ago) gave him a month or less so we will be making a trip up to see him this weekend since it will be our last chance before our trip. My dad has said he's not doing very well and has hospice in the house helping out my grandma. As I understand it he is completely against going into "a home" as he says. I can't say I blame him. I am relieved that my grandma and surrounding family are getting help though. I hate feeling far away and helpless to help but I know that in my condition and with a toddler I'd be no help whatsoever to drive up there even for a day. Please pray for my grandma- it is her I'm most worried about. Tyler is doing well. He's been speaking a lot more the past month or so and is putting together these amazing sentances. That phase of 3 to 4 word phrases didn't last near as long as I thought it would! I'm noticing he's picking up some things from Daddy and I too and so we are getting better at the whole spelling as we speak thing. :) I have been working with him on playing by himself and more on cleaning up his toys by himself so that he's a little more independant when the baby comes. I"m terrified he'll be a TV junkie in those weeks of healing and scheduling the baby and re-learning to nurse... I recall barely keeping my head above water wtih Tyler, and Im getting very anxious for this one on top of Tyler! He has already shown some signs that he's not going to take the adjustment laying down. He does not like that he can't climb up on me and that I can't chase him around the house like I used to. :) Gary's job is going well. Computers keep dying and he keeps fixing them i guess. :) The levy will be on the ballot again in May and we are praying it passes since already more than a million dollars must be cut from the budget. If it does not pass in May the entire district will suffer, especially the kids. We belive Gary's job is pretty secure but nothing is for certain. We are trusting the Lord in this and in the Mansfield House which we now call the summer house. :) Gary's co-worker suggested we furnish it and turn it into a time share! :) If only! It would be fun to have a second home and do that, but in a more relaxing, vacation sort of setting! In relation to my Dr. Appt last week- I've not made a decision yet. I"m collecting advice, information and praying for wisdom. In other news on Gary, he's decided to start playing drums at his parents church twice a month! His first week was a couple sunday's ago and he's on again this week. It was so fun to watch him but getting to church early was a big adjustment for Tyler. We will be splitting our time between Grace and First Christian until we both feel a need for a change. We both like the big church setting and I find that I really like the chance for Tyler to get to spend time with other cihldren his age. We also like the small church feel and knowing lots of people. I'm anxious for the baby to be born so that we can re-settle and I can get involved in SOMETHING to make some friends. My loneliness is not near what others face since I have a very supportive family and friends via internet who keep in contact with me, but I'd love to have someone to come over once a month and just sit and chat about life. My respect for those away from family starting over in my situation grows daily. When we moved to Mansfield we had no one, but we both worked in the same place and things happened much more quickly for both of us in the way of friends at work and outside work. I never realized how good I had it! Well, as I write this I realize that Thomas is near the end and bedtime is actually past due here. :) I'm off for story and tuck in time. I love you all!

I"m a little bit of everything today! I'm excited b/c tomorrow I"m 30 weeks which means It's getting close! I'm also excited to go shopping with my mom and because it's Friday wich means relaxing with Gary (even though I'm still a bit aggitated at him for aggitating me TWICE this week...) and not having to hear the alarm tomorrow morning. I'm excited for Jennifer to celebrate the first birthday of her little man. I know how special that day was for me and I know it is for her as well. I'm excited for Lori to get to go on her trip soon and get away. Literally in so many ways. I"m excited b/c today was a dr. appt and I got to hear Princess Bush's heartbeat. Don't worry, we are not naming her that. I was thinking of naming her Lavendar Rose Bush... Thoughts? I'm also excited because I'm keeping lots of really good secrets and it's fun to be the one in the know even if there's really no one to tell. :) I'm also stressed. We are leaving for the other side of the country in TWO weeks and there is much to be done, plus the house needs to be imaculate for mom's arrival in the morning. Tyler is getting some type of illness which includes mucus in his eyes that stumped the lady who answered the phone at his pediatrician office. Is it ok that this freaked me out? I'm also stressed because I have exactly 6 weeks to decide how I want this baby born. That leads us to the emotion of terror. The doctor I saw today said that she would absolutely recommend a C-section. 4 other doctors including the one who delivered Tyler said that while there was a chance of a repeat of the first time, there was a larger chance my body would just know what to do and I'd be fine. Thid doctor seems to think I could experience irreversable, unreparable damage to things that just should not be damaged. Can we say panic? My thought is that I could be induced and be sure to get a doctor who knows my situation and my feelings and have a better chance of things being controled, but i've heard nothing but horror stories about being induced... so here's your chance moms= I want to hear your birth stories. Every ugly detail because i certainly can't make this kind of decision myself! Poor Gary. He's going to hear about this for sure.... So yea, we are all over the map today! The best part of the day was that I got to hold 5 month old Baby Jacob. A cousin of mine and he's just sweet as can be. At the end of the day, beyond all the fears and feelings both emotional and physical- all I want is my baby girl born safe and healthy, and I want to be healthy enough to take care of her and be the best mom I know how to be. It's what I was made for. To be a mom to her and my Tyler. My angel. The boy who always knows when I need a hug and a slobbery kiss and the distraction of playing trains, coloring, chasing leaves and bubbles, and just being in the moment. I'm blessed beyond measure to have more than one 'love of my life'.

oh NO!!! I just realized I missed the birthday of the one and only JOSHUA D KELLOGG!!! ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Happy Birthday Josh!!! We love you!

Here is a cute, short, video of tyler requesting a video be taken as one is taken!

Dr called... I PASSED MY GLUCOSE TEST!!! They called because my iron is low and they want me to be on a supplement from now unti the end of my pregnancy. The nurse I spoke with said that if I've been extra tired it could be that on top of chasing around another child so hopefully this will help me to feel better. Thanks for your prayers!

Today I'm either nesting or working on things that should be done regularly and just are not. :) I vacuumed the couch today. It's amazing how much junk ends up under the cushions! I don't even want to think about dander and the kinds of bugs that grow in there and in the bed... blech! Anyways, I got done and noticed that the vacuum was pretty dusty and decided to dust it and then figured, well, if i'm going to do this I might as well get out the clorox wipes and really clean it, and so I did. How often should you clorox your vacuum? How often should you vacuum your couch? I don't have any idea but apparently it was something that looked like a great deal of fun to Tyler because he used his vacuum to help me with the couch cusion and then wanted a wipe to clean his own vacuum. Now his vacuum I have cloroxed before but the fact that he wanted to do it 'just like mommy' was just too much for me. I took a couple pictures. Enjoy!